Accelerated aging is associated with major depressive disorder (MDD) and studies of yoga and meditation based lifestyle intervention (YMLI) on biomarkers of cellular aging are lacking.

To investigate the peripheral blood biomarkers of cellular aging in MDD patients after short term YMLI. Biomarkers include DNA damage, oxidative stress (OS), telomere attrition, and nutrition sensing assessed respectively by 8-hydroxy 2’- deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG); reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC); telomere length and telomerase activity; and sirtuin-1.

We consecutively enrolled 33 MDD patients and 40 healthy subjects; 30 MDD patients were followed up with 12- week YMLI. Biomarkers of cellular aging in peripheral blood were measured with assay kits. All patients were evaluated by examining the correlation between cellular aging markers and Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores.

The levels of DNA damage, OS, and telomere attrition in MDD patients were significantly higher than healthy subjects (all P = 0.005). The MADRS scores had a significantly positive association with 8-OHdG and ROS levels and negative association with TAC, telomerase and sirtuin-1 levels (all P < 0.01).

Peripheral blood biomarker levels in our results suggest significant cellular aging in MDD patients compared to healthy subjects. There was strong correlation between the changes in biomarkers of cellular aging and clinical improvement in MDD. Our study is the first to show significant increase in sirtuin-1 levels in MDD patients after yoga and meditation. Therefore, biomarkers of cellular aging might be indicators of MDD severity and clinical remission after YMLI.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.